20amp to 15amp adapter safety

My band just recently bought a dimmer pack(Cyber Elationpak) that has a 20amp plug. I am guessing most venues that we will be traveling to will have 15amp circuits and plugs. Furman has an adapter that has a breaker built-in, so if you draw more than 15amps it will trip its own circuit instead of the venues, in this case. It is UL listed but I want a few more opinions before taking what could be a risk. We will not be maxing out the amps in our dimmer pack or even coming close. We are using 2 65 watt bulbs on two channels and one 65 watt bulb on the other two. Do you think Furmans product would be reliable? I will post a link below. Thanks!

Furman ADP-1520B 20A to 15A Adapter Power Cable at zZounds

Zakk
 
Its not needed. You won't even be getting close to the maximum load of the circuit. Also, you never have to protect a circuit from overdraw that is rated lower then your load. It is impossible for you to pull too much power from the outlet to fry the wiring in the walls. By putting in that adapter you are just putting in one more failure point.
 
if a venue cant spare 20 amps for your lights then that is a really bad venue, also you are only pulling a little under 200 amps, which is less than 10% of your total power on your dimmer, you could put a peak load of 1800 watts on a 15 amp circuit, so you should be fine with your dimmers even if you have more than just those 3 lights on that circuit. also the only reason to get the furman is so that you don't have to find the house breaker but have your own but you shouldn't ever trip it with that small of a load
 
Cut the plug off and wire on a NEMA 5-15P instead of the 5-20P. You are not loading the pack to anywhere even close to its capacity. This *does* void the UL warranty. Personally I find most factory molded plugs to be of a lower quality, as the hollow ground pins break off rather easily.

Then, after the gig, if you are worried about other people using it to its capacity, put a 5-20P back on.

But, it it makes you feel safe, buy the adapter.
 
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Yeah I'd just swap out the plug to a standard edison. But hey, you get allot of points in my book for asking! Allot of people would just go and hack something together without making sure its safe.
 
Care to recheck that?

We are using 2 65 watt bulbs on two channels and one 65 watt bulb on the other two.

(2 Bulbs *65W) *2 Channels + 65W +65W = 390W. A = W/V or 390W/120V = 3.25Amps.

Either way, you are lower than the rated circuit and the pack.
 
creamers said:
Instead of buying the adapter. I just take a 1Gang box with a duplex outlet and put a pigtail on it to a 15AMP plug. That way you dont ruin the cord with a new end. Though it works either way.

I would rather do it properly and have a 5-15P on one end and a 5-20R on the other.

We have had several discussions on the illegality of using a metallic j box for this purpose. There are several plastic products on the market suitable for such use, and I understand how such a cord can at times be desirable. Leviton, O. A. Windsor, and others make such products.

I can't seem to find a link to a low priced option, but I know there exists a small, single piece molded adapter for converting such plugs.
 
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I would rather do it properly and have a 5-15P on one end and a 5-20R on the other.

We have had several discussions on the illegality of using a metallic j box for this purpose. There are several plastic products on the market suitable for such use, and I understand how such a cord can at times be desirable. Leviton, O. A. Windsor, and others make such products.

I can't seem to find a link to a low priced option, but I know there exists a small, single piece molded adapter for converting such plugs.

Kind of in the "Don't cut the cord" camp as well. Once you do you void the warranty and the UL rating on the unit. Almost happy to hear that Elation is actually using the proper plug! I remember that Crown power amps used to come through with the 20 amp plug, but they would also enclose a short adapter cable that took it to a 15 amp plug. That way the power amp maintained it's UL rating. No rating on the adapter tho! ;)
 
My vote is for a trip to Home Depot to pick up two plugs and a foot of cable. Make your own 15 to 20 adapter. Store it separate so that someone who doesn't know what they are doing doesn't accidentally come along and load up the dimmer and install the adapter cable.
 
I would rather do it properly and have a 5-15P on one end and a 5-20R on the other.

We have had several discussions on the illegality of using a metallic j box for this purpose. There are several plastic products on the market suitable for such use, and I understand how such a cord can at times be desirable. Leviton, O. A. Windsor, and others make such products.

I can't seem to find a link to a low priced option, but I know there exists a small, single piece molded adapter for converting such plugs.

I saw one a few months ago that was around $8 or $10 on sweetwater I think.
 
gafftaper said:
My vote is for a trip to Home Depot to pick up two plugs and a foot of cable. Make your own 15 to 20 adapter. Store it separate so that someone who doesn't know what they are doing doesn't accidentally come along and load up the dimmer and install the adapter cable.

I made one of those for myself a few months ago. The 5-20P alone was almost $10, and that was the cheapest they had! The molded adapter is nearly the same price.
 
Plus you know the AWG # when making it yourself and it can be much much longer. I prefer the 1 gang method due to you get 2 plugs.
 
Lex has a molded adapter I got it with my e-string you can buy it separately
 
i read it as 3 65 watt lights on the whole pack which would only be 180,
 
(2 Bulbs *65W) *2 Channels + 65W +65W = 390W. A = W/V or 390W/120V = 3.25Amps.
i read it as 3 65 watt lights on the whole pack which would only be 180,

Let me requote the original post;
you are only pulling a little under 200 amps, which is less than 10% of your total power on your dimmer

200 amps will vapourise the average shoebox dimmer.
Let us not forget the importance of getting our technical terms correct...

My vote is for a trip to Home Depot to pick up two plugs

I'm surprised Derek has not chastised you for this, but 2 plugs make a suicide adapter, a plug and a socket on the other hand...
 

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